The [[World Boxing Council]] was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo López Mateos, to form an international boxing organization that would achieve the unity of all commissions of the world to control the expansion of boxing.

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The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela. They met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon the invitation of the President of Mexico, Adolfo López Mateos, to form an international boxing organization that would achieve the unity of all commissions of the world to control the expansion of boxing.

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The groups that historically had recognized several boxers as champions included the New York State Athletic Commission, the [[National Boxing Association]], the [[European Boxing Union]] and the [[British Boxing Board of Control]] but these groups for the most part lacked the all-encompassing "international" status they boasted of.

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The WBC was bankrolled mainly by [[George Parnassus]], a California promoter. Parnassus, who loaded his shows with Mexican and Mexican-American fighters of the lighter weight divisions, was tired of seeing his star attractions ignored by the pro-U.S. rating systems.

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The WBC is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the [[IBF]], [[WBA]] and [[WBO]].

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The groups that historically had recognized boxers as champions included the [[New York State Athletic Commission]], the [[National Boxing Association]], the [[European Boxing Union]] and the [[British Boxing Board of Control]], but these groups, for the most part, lacked the all-encompassing "international" status they boasted of.

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==Affiliated organizations==

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The WBC is one of four major sanctioning bodies recognized by the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]], along with the [[WBA]], [[IBF]] and [[WBO]].

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*World Boxing Council Muay Thai (WBC Muay Thai)

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*[[Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation]] (OPBF)

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==The Near Demise of the WBC==

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*[[North American Boxing Federation]] (NABF)

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In early 1998, [[Roy Jones Jr.]] announced that he was relinquishing his WBC light heavyweight title to fight as a heavyweight. In response, the organization ordered a bout between German contender [[Graciano Rocchigiani]] and former two-division champion [[Michael Nunn]] to fill the vacancy, sanctioning it as a world championship match.

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*[[European Boxing Union]] (EBU)

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On March 21, 1998, Rocchigiani won the fight and a WBC belt: in the subsequent WBC rankings, he was listed as "Light Heavyweight World Champion." Jones, however, had a change of heart and asked if the WBC would reinstate him as the champion. In a move that violated nearly a dozen of its own regulations, the WBC granted the reinstatement. Rocchigiani received a letter from the WBC advising that the publishing of his name as champion was a typographical error, and he had never really been the official titleholder.

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Rocchigiani immediately filed a lawsuit against the WBC in a U.S. federal court, claiming that the organization's actions both were contrary to their own rules and injurious to his earning potential (due to diminished professional stature). On May 7, 2003, the judge ruled in Rocchigiani's favor, awarding him $30 million (U.S.) in damages and reinstating him as a former WBC champion (Rocchigiani had lost a bout since his WBC title match).

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The following day, the WBC sought protection by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (i.e., corporate debt restructuring) in Puerto Rico. The organization then spent the next 13 months attempting to negotiate a six-figure settlement with Rocchigiani, but Rocchigiani did not at first accept.

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On June 11, 2004, the WBC announced it would enter Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation (i.e., business closing and total asset sell-off) proceedings, effectively ending its existence. This action prompted some in the boxing community to plead with Rocchigiani to settle the dispute, which he did in July 2004. Both sides agreed not to reveal terms of the settlement.

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==Affiliated Organizations==

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*African Boxing Union (ABU)

*Asian Boxing Council (ABCO)

*Asian Boxing Council (ABCO)

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*African Boxing Union (ABU)

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*[[Baltic Sea Championship]] (WBC Baltic)

*[[Caribbean Boxing Federation]] (CABOFE)

*[[Caribbean Boxing Federation]] (CABOFE)

*Central American Boxing Federation (FECARBOX)

*Central American Boxing Federation (FECARBOX)

*[[CIS and Slovenian Boxing Bureau]] (CISBB)

*[[CIS and Slovenian Boxing Bureau]] (CISBB)

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*South American Boxing Federation (FESUBOX)

*[[Eurasian Boxing Council]] (EBC)

*[[Eurasian Boxing Council]] (EBC)

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*[[Baltic Sea Championship]] (WBC Baltic)

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*[[European Boxing Union]] (EBU)

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*[[North American Boxing Federation]] (NABF)

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*[[Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation]] (OPBF)

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*South American Boxing Federation (FESUBOX)

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*World Boxing Council Muay Thai (WBC Muay Thai)

Revision as of 03:28, 13 April 2013

WBC Logo

WBC Championship Belt

The World Boxing Council (WBC) was formed in 1963 and is based in Mexico.

History

The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela. They met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon the invitation of the President of Mexico, Adolfo López Mateos, to form an international boxing organization that would achieve the unity of all commissions of the world to control the expansion of boxing.

The WBC was bankrolled mainly by George Parnassus, a California promoter. Parnassus, who loaded his shows with Mexican and Mexican-American fighters of the lighter weight divisions, was tired of seeing his star attractions ignored by the pro-U.S. rating systems.

The Near Demise of the WBC

In early 1998, Roy Jones Jr. announced that he was relinquishing his WBC light heavyweight title to fight as a heavyweight. In response, the organization ordered a bout between German contender Graciano Rocchigiani and former two-division champion Michael Nunn to fill the vacancy, sanctioning it as a world championship match.

On March 21, 1998, Rocchigiani won the fight and a WBC belt: in the subsequent WBC rankings, he was listed as "Light Heavyweight World Champion." Jones, however, had a change of heart and asked if the WBC would reinstate him as the champion. In a move that violated nearly a dozen of its own regulations, the WBC granted the reinstatement. Rocchigiani received a letter from the WBC advising that the publishing of his name as champion was a typographical error, and he had never really been the official titleholder.

Rocchigiani immediately filed a lawsuit against the WBC in a U.S. federal court, claiming that the organization's actions both were contrary to their own rules and injurious to his earning potential (due to diminished professional stature). On May 7, 2003, the judge ruled in Rocchigiani's favor, awarding him $30 million (U.S.) in damages and reinstating him as a former WBC champion (Rocchigiani had lost a bout since his WBC title match).

The following day, the WBC sought protection by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (i.e., corporate debt restructuring) in Puerto Rico. The organization then spent the next 13 months attempting to negotiate a six-figure settlement with Rocchigiani, but Rocchigiani did not at first accept.

On June 11, 2004, the WBC announced it would enter Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation (i.e., business closing and total asset sell-off) proceedings, effectively ending its existence. This action prompted some in the boxing community to plead with Rocchigiani to settle the dispute, which he did in July 2004. Both sides agreed not to reveal terms of the settlement.